Darkness Follows (21 page)

Seth

I pushed the master key card into the second room, gun raised and sweat pouring down my face. “Police officer, show yourself,” I announced quietly. I took a careful step forward and rounded the corner, only to see
another
empty room. Clothes were scattered about, and opened food and a child’s toy lay on the floor.

“Clear,” I barked into my radio.

“Clear,” Garrett’s voice said right behind me as he cleared the room across the hall.

I turned down the hallway, and Garrett followed, while Riggs and Riley kept watch on opposite stairwells. My right ear had my Bluetooth on mute so I could hear what was going on. A lot of it was muffled.

“Connors.” Riley made me look over at him and pointed to the room on his left, Room 329. He made a signal that he heard something.

I nodded and rubbed my sleeve over my damp forehead. My mouth was dry. My tongue ran along the inside, but it didn’t help. I normally loved this part of my job; it was a twisted love affair with right and wrong. I loved to catch the bad guys. But this…this was a whole new level, one I never wanted to revisit. My heart beat in my ears as my unsteady fingers pushed the card into the slot.

***

Emily

Lasko grabbed his bare erection and stared right in my eyes. “Now, you’ll be mine.”

I closed my eyes and slipped into autopilot. I said goodbye to this life, because there was no coming back after this. I would not return as me.

Pop! Pop! Pop!
Something sprayed across my face and hit my chest with a heavy thud.

“Ahhhhhhh!”
I screamed and lost all sense of sanity.

“Emily!
” His strong voice ripped through my hysteria.

I opened my eyes, and Lasko was on top of me. Seth stood at the end of the bed with his gun pointed at us. He lunged forward, yanked Lasko’s arm, and threw him to the floor.

Seth began to frantically pat me over. I had to blink a few times to remove the fog. My lungs burned and my throat pulsed in agony.

“Is this your blood?” he asked as his hands swiped around my stomach.

I couldn’t answer. I was still in shock. He pulled out a pocket knife, freed my wrists, and covered me with a sheet.

“Baby, look at me. Are you hurt?”

It took me a few moments to realize that yes, I was all right, and that the warm, wet liquid on my face was Jimmy Lasko’s blood. I looked down at his limp body and attempted to absorb it all. I shot to the top of the bed.
There is so much blood.

I began to sob as Seth crushed me to his chest. I grabbed his shirt and hid my face from the world. I felt his hand pull down the sheet to better cover my bare parts. His body shook against mine.

“I got you, I’m right here.”

“I can’t…he…I…” I couldn’t sort my thoughts.

Seth turned my head so my ear pressed into his chest. “Listen to my heart, and count the beats.” I closed my eyes and tried to focus.

“Oh my God,” Garrett shouted as he ran into the room. “Is she all right?”

“I think so.” Seth shifted and picked me up. My arms wrapped around his neck. I was terrified to let go.

Garrett bent down and checked Lasko’s pulse. “He’s dead.”

My chin quivered as I shook harder.

Riggs and Riley burst through the door. Garrett shouted for them to call it in.

“You’re okay, baby, you’re okay now,” Seth’s repeated, almost like he needed to hear it too. Things started to go quiet as my shock kicked up a notch.

Garrett’s mouth moved, but I couldn’t hear him. It was all gibberish. Seth’s attention was on him now.

Seth sat me down on the bed and bent down in front of me. “Baby, did he…” his lips pressed together, “did he have sex—?”

I shook my head and pulled the sheet tighter around my waist. His face nearly fell as he brushed my hair off my neck.

“Oh, Christ.” His eyes watered. “Garrett.” Garrett rushed over, and he too went white at the sight of it. I turned my head away. I didn’t like their expressions.

“Jesus.” Riley pointed at Blake’s body, then at the cocaine. “This is so fuc—” He stopped himself as Seth rose and shook his head to stop talking.

I needed to get out of here. Things started to surface, and I couldn’t deal with them yet. I started to move, but my heel hit something heavy. My fingers felt the cool steel, and a sudden rage burned through me as I reached down and wrapped my fingers around the handle of Lasko’s gun—the one that killed Blake. I didn’t think as I pointed it at his head while I slowly stood on shaky legs. One hand held the sheet in place.

“Em,” Seth whispered beside, me but he didn’t stop me.

“I-I need to know he’s gone.” I could barely hear myself as I squeezed the trigger. As soon as the hammer clicked, I jumped back and dropped the gun like it was on fire. I let out a loud scream followed by a horrible sob.

Seth hooked his arm around my waist, lifted me back into his arms, and hurried out of the room. Garrett followed us down the stairs and out to the wild media storm that the police were yelling to keep back. Garrett shielded us until we got to his car and slipped inside.

Seth pulled out his cell phone and called his sergeant.

“Yes, she’s with me. We’ll meet you at the hospital.” He dropped his phone and pulled me onto his lap. He buried his face into my shoulder and began to cry.

***

Seth

After twenty-four hours of observation, they discharged Emily from the Huntington Hope Hospital. Her neck was badly bruised, she had a cut under her right eye, and her ankle was sprained, but, all things considered, she was physically all right.
Fuck, this sounds all too familiar.

Over the next two weeks, she slept off her injuries with me sitting at the end of her bed as often as I could, just watching her sleep. Every night at almost the same time she would wake with a start. She’d cry out and reach for me, so I knew I needed to be there for her. I’d hold her and help chase the fear away. I wanted to take back the past and rewrite it for her. Bring back her father, perhaps replace his grave with her mother’s. I tried to erase that unkind thought immediately. I only knew I wanted to surround her with endless love. Even if that meant I couldn’t have her, then so be it.

“No, please, stop!” she cried as I jolted forward to grab her arms and raise them above her head, holding them firmly. Emily could send a mean punch in her sleep.

“Baby,” I whispered, “wake up.”

Her eyes popped open, and I got a glimpse of Jimmy Lasko inside her soul, messing with her reality.

“Seth?”

“I’m here.” I watched as she looked around the brightly lit room. She didn’t like the dark at night anymore. I slowly released her hands and waited to see what she needed.

“Did I wake you?” She pushed herself up to a seated position and flinched at how sore her neck still was. She saw my chair with the rumpled blanket on it and her eyes filled with tears. This is the first night she noticed I had been staying beside her bed. “Have you slept at all?”

I slapped a smile on. “Some.”

She flipped her hair back and drew her knees to her chest. “I’m sorry.”

I shifted so I could tuck my ankle under my leg. “Why are you sorry?”

“Seth.” She lowered her hand as a few tears slipped down, marring her beautiful features. “I’m fine, so you should go back to your room. You have to work tomorrow. I wouldn’t forgive myself if anything happened to you, if something—”

“Em, no, I really don’t mind.”

Her head tilted up, her blue eyes telling the complete opposite story of the one she was spinning. “I mind.”

“You want me to leave?” I had to admit, it stung, but I did deserve it. I told her I wanted space. I kept her at arm’s length as she was going through one of the worst times of her life.

“What I want is for you to get some sleep.”

“Oh, okay.” I reached back and removed my grey t-shirt. I lay back and tucked myself under the covers and made myself comfy.

Emily sighed. “I’m okay, Seth.”

“I know, but your bed is more comfortable than mine.” I tucked an arm under my head, and she shrugged. I could see she was exhausted. “Emily.” I made her look at me. “Come here.” I pulled her arm gently so she had to lie down beside me. She turned her back to me a moment later, and I felt the bed shake. I wrapped my body around hers, my arm hooked around her stomach, and I kissed her shoulder. “I know you’re fine, but maybe I’m not.” Her hand found mine and held it tightly. “I need to hold you.”

“I need you to,” she whispered.

***

Emily

I woke to an empty bed. The only way I knew he was with me was by the dent in the pillow and his scent. The shower felt nice, especially as I found my ankle felt a lot better. I headed to the closet and stood there for a while. My brain was still in a fog, and everyday things took a little longer than they used to before all this. I wished I could find my way out of here.

I decided on a dark grey pencil skirt and a deep purple silk blouse. I carried my high heels downstairs. I was determined to wear them; I hated flats. Once at the bottom, I slipped them on and tested them out. My ankle was still a little tender, but I could push through the pain.
I’d pushed through a lot worse
, I mused as I grimaced.

“Hey, you.” Riley grinned from the kitchen table. He set the newspaper down as I poured myself some coffee. “Where are you off to?”

“School,” I answered into my mug.

Garrett emerged from the laundry room. “Seriously?”

I rolled my eyes. “Fourteen days is plenty of recovery time, Garrett.”

“Hmm,” he grunted as he slid his hand inside his pocket to pull out his cell phone. “Huh?” His face scrunched.

“What?” I asked with a glance at Riley, who watched him too.

“There was a couple found dead outside of Gary’s nightclub.”

“As in Mom’s boyfriend, Gary?”

“Yeah.” He started to text.

I didn’t know why, but that information didn’t shock me much. There was something about Gary that led one to think trouble was never far away.

“No witnesses, no leads, just says the female was shot in the back of the head, and the male was set on fire—”

I gasped, and that made him stop short.

“Oh, shit, I’m sorry, Emily.” Garrett closed his eyes.

“No,” I waved him off, “it’s all right.”

Riley picked up his newspaper and went back to reading. I wondered if it was like that for them. Dead bodies, domestic violence, missing children—all of it was an everyday occurrence. I shook away the prickles that crawled up my spine.

Riley looked up. “Oh, Em, Sue and Dave called the house phone last night. They wanted to know when you’re going to come and visit now that everything is back to normal.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess I should call them and touch base.”

“Please do.” Garrett grinned. “I loved it there.”

“Me too.” I beamed and thought it was about time I started to include them in my life again.

Seth came in the side door as he pushed his blond hair out of his eyes. Fate wasn’t fair to make someone look as sexy as he did after an hour-long run. Sweat covered his smooth, bare chest and drained into the waistband of his gym shorts. Those shorts rested low on his hips, low enough that his V almost came to a point. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from letting out a single low, desperate groan. My body betrayed me as my chest heaved with need.

He glanced at me, and I saw his jaw flex. His eyes raked down my chest and stopped at my cleavage.

“You look good.”

I fought my grin. “So do you.”

The grin that spread across his lips was enough to erase the darkness from my heart and make it daytime bright. “Give me fifteen and I’ll drive you to school.”

I shook my head. “You don’t have to, I—”

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to.”

“Okay.” I glanced at Garrett and Riley and saw they were both watching us with interest. “What?”

Garrett grabbed a napkin and pretended to wipe his eyes. “It’s just nice to see the family together again.” He laughed as Seth rolled his eyes.

“I have to admit, I see what Nicholas was talking about.” Riley took a bottle of water out of the fridge. “You seem to equal each other out.”

“Nicholas doesn’t know Emily,” Seth shot back.

“No,” he took a long sip of water, “he doesn’t. But you’d be blind not to see it.”

I shook my head as I walked out of the room. I needed to get my books before we left. Outside, the sun was bright and the morning air was crisp. I took a moment and savored the knowledge that I was back to my old life again. My grin spread as I opened the car door and slid over the cool leather seats.

Seth wore a light jacket over his uniform so as not to draw attention to the fact he was a cop. I knew the guys often did that so they didn’t become an easy target.

I turned on the radio and plugged in my phone. I went through my play list and stopped at one of Seth’s favorites. “King” by Weezer. I relaxed back into the seat and thought this was the first time in a long time I felt I could leave my house and know I’d be okay.

Seth started to mouth the words to the song. I loved to see him comfortable enough with me to show this side of him. He looked over at me and winked.

He pulled up to the curb and put the car into park. I reached for my bag when he stopped me with a hand on my thigh.

“Can I take you to dinner tonight?” I looked at him like he had two heads. “Is it really that surprising that I want to take you out?”

Umm…
“A little, yes.” I couldn’t lie. It was.

He nodded, then took a deep breath as he looked out the window for a moment, then brought his gaze back to me. “Emily, will you join me for a date tonight?”

My lips twisted to the side then broke into a giddy smile. “Yes, I’d like that.”

“Great.” He leaned in and waited for me to meet him. I did and stared into his deep blue eyes. “I’ll meet you at your place at six.” His hand slid along my jaw, then pressed his lips to mine and gave me a gentle kiss. It was sweet, mixed with a dirty promise.

I reached for the door handle. “Em,” he stopped me, his face changed, “please call me if you need anything.”

“I will…I promise.”

***

Seth texted me to meet him at The Cut in downtown Huntington, since he was running late with some paperwork. I didn’t mind; it gave me more time to get ready. When I called Pete to tell him my news about my ‘official’ date, he raced out and bought me the perfect dress for the evening. I swore he was more excited about this than I was.

I stepped out of the taxi and saw my reflection in the marble wall. The soft, flowy, white dress clung to my body, crossed along my chest, and clipped behind the neck. It sat mid-thigh and showed off a sexy amount of cleavage. My heels were a little higher than I’d normally wear, but I loved how they crisscrossed up my ankles, matching the style of the dress.

A man offered me a hand as I stepped out of the taxi door, and then escorted me to the bar where I spotted Seth in a black suit jacket and dress pants. Jesus, he was a beautiful creature. Even the way he sat at the bar and nursed his beer made me want to reach out and see if he was real.

He must have sensed my stare, because he slowly turned and looked at me. His face became unreadable as he slowly took in my outfit. He pushed off his chair and strolled toward me like I was meant only for him.

His eyes grew hungry when he leaned in and kissed the side of my jaw. His other hand ran along my bare back. “Jesus, baby, you look amazing.”

I turned inward and kissed right under his ear. My lips brushed over his freshly shaven skin, and his aftershave made my knees tremble. “So do you.” I was breathless.

“I ordered you a dirty martini.” He grinned. He knew I loved my martinis. “Are you hungry?”

I nodded…but not for food.

Seth pulled out my chair for me and offered a hand as I took my seat. His fingers ran down my shoulder to my elbow before he moved to his seat. I placed my napkin on my lap and looked around. The room was beautiful. It was dark, quiet, and every seat had its own level of privacy. But the best part was how one side of the restaurant looked over a wall and was completely open. A dance floor was off to the left, and there were fire pits and seating on the right.

A waiter appeared with a pitcher of water. “Good evening.” He filled our glasses and placed a fresh lemon round on top. I smiled at how much Pete would be interested in this guy. “My, that’s a pretty bracelet.” The waiter held up my wrist to get a better look. I glanced over at Seth, and he gave me a look, but he couldn’t keep back his grin. “Can I get you something to start?”

“What sounds good to you, baby?” Seth asked casually.

“The jumbo shrimp, please.”

Once the waiter left, Seth watched me as he sipped his beer. I matched his stare and decided to take the opportunity to see what he’d share.

“Have you spoken to Nicholas?”

His eyes dropped to his frosty mug as he set it down. “Yes, I have.”

“Are you still upset with him for sending Riley?”

He sighed with a shake of his head. “I was, but I understand why he did. Riley is a good cop, and he does his job well.”

“I think so. I’m thankful Nicholas did what he did. I know you two have a bit of history, but he’s still your brother, and I don’t think he would ever want to hurt you on purpose.”

“He is, and my problem doesn’t lie with my brother.”

“It lies with your father, you mean.” I should have known better than to push.

“Emily, I really don’t want to speak about someone who—”

“I’m sorry,” I interrupted. “Sometimes it’s just nice to hear a little bit about you.”

Seth closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Okay, you’re right. I know a lot about you, so it’s only fair. What would you like to know?” I bit down on my bottom lip and looked at him. I could barely contain the laughter and excitement. “Be kind,” he warned.

I winked. “Where’s the fun in that?”

We waited for the waiter to place the shrimp in front of us, and then we ordered our meal. I dipped the tip of the shrimp in the sauce and nibbled on the end while I thought. Seth’s eyes grew dark as he waited for me to speak, and he shifted and tugged on the collar of his shirt.

“Were you ever close with your father?”

“Not that I can remember.”

“Okay,” I whispered and thought of my own father. “Is he good to Martha?”

Seth looked over at the black water. The waves occasionally caught little rays of moonlight. “My father isn’t good to anyone, Emily. The sooner you realize that, the better off you’ll be.”

I nodded. I could see his past weighed heavily on him. I was just so thirsty to know more. “Can I ask one more question?”

His eyes flinched, but he gave me a slight nod.

I leaned forward, rested one elbow on the table, and ran my free hand along my neck. I gave him a serious look before I asked my question. “So how long did you wear the Batman pajamas?”

He leaned his head back and let out a loud, unexpected laugh. Everything in my body swelled at the sound. I would pay good money to hear that laugh every single damn day. He reached over and grabbed my hand, brought it to his mouth, and gave it a long kiss.

“People like you make people like me realize what we’re missing in life.” I pulled my hand away as I felt a “but” coming. Thankfully, the waiter came to serve our main course. We ate and made small talk. I made sure to steer off the topic of us whenever I thought it was coming.

After dinner, we retired to the patio where a band played a range of music. Coldplay’s “Fix You” started to play as Seth took my hand and led me to the dance floor. He pressed his body close to mine as he moved us to the music. I rested my head on his chest and thought how perfect this moment was. The way his arms locked around me made me feel safe from the world. His lips brushed over my hair.

“I missed holding you, Emily.”

Suddenly everything hit me—Seth, my friend, my only love, someone I poured out my heart to, someone I gave myself to, only to have him crush my dreams by not wanting me. He pulled away from me, but let no one else near me. The yo-yo effect, the painful tug of war with all my emotions. I couldn’t do this again; I wasn’t strong enough.

I pulled back to look up at him.

“What’s wrong?” His eyes searched mine.

I looked over at the beach, now free of people. “Can we go for a walk?”

“Of course.” He threaded his fingers through mine and helped me down the sandy stairs. I removed my heels, hooked them on my fingers, and we walked together in silence.

It was a cool evening, and the breeze off the ocean helped cleared my head. I loved this time of year when the days were still warm, but the nights dropped in temperature.

Seth waited until we had walked a bit before he spoke. “What’s on your mind, baby?”

I paused in the sand and dropped my head so my hair would act as a curtain.

“Honestly, I’m nervous. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, but you’re also the only man who has crushed my heart more times than I can count. That doesn’t exactly make me feel very confident or hopeful about a future with you.”

He nodded while he thought, and his eyes squinted as he looked over the water. “I broke the promise I made you in Temecula, didn’t I?”

“Yeah.” I sighed and tried to swallow around the lump in my throat as my eyes started to water. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I started to walk again.

“Emily,” he whispered after me, his voice full of emotion. I tilted my head back and squeezed my eyes shut to stop the tears.
Oh, please, don’t cry right now.
I shook off the emotion and began to turn when his hands locked around my waist. He spun me around and pushed me up against the cliff wall. Large, jagged rocks blocked our view from the restaurant, which was good, because I could see Seth was determined to work this out.